Who is Jeresha White? Meet the woman behind the Success Souvenirs child care empire on 'Self-Made Mansion'
Nothing really prepares you for motherhood. No matter how many books you read or advice you get, being a new mother is always overwhelming. And being a new mom while still a teenager is even more so. Motherhood itself is a full-time job, one that doesn't have any vacation days whatsoever.
So, when Jeresha "Sherri J" White found out that she was going to be a mother at the tender age of 14, she knew from the start that her journey was not going to be easy. However, that didn't stop her from achieving her dreams. She's definitely come a long way since then, seeing that she is now an entrepreneur, businesswoman, motivational speaker and published author. Here's a look at her incredible journey so far.
Who is Jeresha 'Sherri J' White?
A businesswoman and an entrepreneur, Jeresha White, also known as Sherri J, is the brains and the driving force behind the brand Success Souvenirs, which encompasses her chain of child care centers, business coaching and motivational speaking. White was a teen mom, seeing that she got pregnant at the age of 14. While some might consider that as a setback, White did not let her pregnancy get in the way of her goals.
At the age of 23, she opened her first childcare centre, under the brand of Success Souvenirs. Since then, she's gone on to open a total of three child care centers across Metro Atlanta. Her story continues to inspire others — she even runs her own entrepreneurial classes that empower people to start their own business, such as child care centers, salons, spa and coffee shops, to name a few.
A graduate of Georgia Perimeter College with an AA degree in Communications, White is also a motivational speaker, seeing that her story often resonates with people trying to make it big on their own, despite the odds.
She is also a published author
White's journey to success was far from easy — between being a mother, completing her education and later running a business, she was definitely working hard, day in and day out. In an interview with Voyage ATL, White got candid about her struggles.
"Definitely not a smooth road, the many challenges that came with being not only a mother but a teen mother with very limited resources. Not being taken seriously in the world of business due to my age, my looks, and my lack of knowledge and experience running businesses in the early stages of my career were also struggles I had to endure." That is what she had to say when asked about her road to success.
Her book, 'Success Souvenirs', chronicles her journey and talks about the highs and lows she faced. It also dishes out some business strategies and advice that White has learned along the way. Apart from this, she has also co-authored a children's book 'Mommy, I thought you said Black was beautiful'. White has worked relentlessly to build her empire and most certainly fits the bill of "self-made". Now, she's on the hunt for the perfect home.
Enter Clinton Kelly, the award-winning host of 'Chew' and 'What Not To Wear', who is here to help White find the home of her dreams. The summary of Episode 6 of 'Self-Made Mansions', reads: "Clinton Kelly helps Jeresha White, creator of the Success Souvenirs Child Development Center childcare empire, and Travis and Cathleen Rivera, owners of the nationally renowned Black and Brass Coffee Roasting Co., find the homes of their dreams."
Catch weekly episodes of 'Self-Made Mansion' every Friday at 8 pm ET/PT on HGTV.